LOUIS ADOLPHE THIERS.

Colonist, Volume XIX, Issue 2281, 8 September 1877, Page 3

LOUIS ADOLPHE THIERS.

■Amid the mosfrmomentous electoral contest ihat has perhaps ever been known in France, the Kepublican party has suffered the lose of iitl representative man. Decency will doubtless compeltheMarshal-President; and his 'Imperialist corifederat^s^o,abstain from any outward expression of their greatjoy, but none the less will they exult in the one great Dame, under which, the Opposition trusted to unite their forces, being no longer present to give confidence to the timid waverers, who desire, yet fear the preservation of free government. ■ Sprung from the people, Thiers never forgot to strive for the welfare of his fellows, far aH he at times, erred in the support of dynastic intrigues, or contributed by his writings to foster! the hopes of the Bonapartist conspirators. Louis Philippe made use ; of him to play against' GTuizot, and yet when in 1840 his ardent nature expressed so completely the feelings of his countrymen, as to render war on the Syrian1 question imminerit, the Citizen King threw him over with calm indifference,to'everything, save the supposed interests of hia family. When the man of the tame eagle, the London ex-special constable, succeeded in so manipulating the ballot boxea as to swindle .France out of its, liberty, the historian of the Consulate and' Empire was geuerally expected to 'be placatl at the head of the Ministry, but those who had been tricked into choosing a rogue for, their monarch, also blundered in fancying that he would accept the services of an honest man. Thiers was exiled, and long after his return confined himself to authorship. When next he sat in Parliament, he showed how completely the crimes of Louis Napoleon had disillusionised him. The nation was henceforth all with him, even the form of government was little and the rulers nothing. He was exalted by acclamation to the highest poiition when the Gferaian armies occupied .France, and to his great talents, reputation, and labors was owing all that was favorable in the terms of peace. A soldier, fortunate chiefly in the absence of opportunity for exhibiting his political incapacity, was put on guard with the title of President, and received the loyal aid of Thiers and his followers, till he was tempted into favoring re-actionary plots.. The voice of the country was for the Republic, and Thiers, having accepted the position as essential to prosperity at home and peace abroad,; found himself at the head of the liberals, for whose cause his moderation acquired large additional support. In his name the battle was being fought, and it cannot be foreseen how his death may influence the elections. The military harshness of the President may possibly be pardoned, rather than the ; victory of Grambetta should place the -extreme party; in power. A few months lotigerlife granted to this venerable statesman might have altered for the better the future'of his country, which in its hour of doubt, being left without a trusty guide, may lower itself so far as to prolong the domination of'the mere sentinel.